Two-part connector and cam means for forcing the two parts into engagement



Dec. 11, 1951 w. J. BAUROTH TWO-PART CONNECTOR AND CAM MEANS. FORFORCING THE TWO-PARTS INTO ENGAGEMENT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Dec. 1,1948 h U NU f/v VE'NTO/Q LTEE J. BAUROT H,

lkillliL lll llllli lillll N -GN 1951 w. J. BAUROTH TWO-PART CONNECTORAND CAM MEANS FOR FORCING THE TWO-PARTS INTO ENGAGEMENT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2Filed Dec. 1, 1948 /N\/EN TO/i WALTER J. BAu ROTH,

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Patented Dec. 11, 1951 TWO-PART CONNECTOR AND CAM MEANS FOR FORCING THETWO PARTS INTO EN- GAGEMENT Walter J. Bauroth, Columbus, Ohio, assignorto The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio ApplicationDecember 1, 1948, Serial No. 62,796

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a distribution box assembly and particularlyof the type which is designed as permissible or flame-proof, which maybe used in a gaseous coal mine or the like, in which certain safetyinterlocks are provided and in which there is a plug and socket orreceptacle type of connector.

An object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism of the abovementioned type in which the electrical connector is enclosed in ahousing which is not necessarily flame-proof in association with aswitchwhich is within a flame-proof or permissible housing or enclosure, therebeing interlocking means between the actuating mechanism for the switchwhich extends outside the enclosing flame-proof housing and in suchposition relative to the enclosure for the connector that the switchmust be open in order for access to be had to the connector todisconnect it, and when said connector enclosure is open it isimpossible to close the switch in the flame-proof box A further objectof the invention is to provide an electrical connector of the plug andsocket or receptacle type, with simple but efficient cam mechanismwhereby the two parts of the connector may be readily joined together bythe simple expedient of applying a, force to one of them While the otheris rigidly or otherwise anchored against longitudinal movement, therebeing cooperating cam means on a stationary abutment and on one of theconnector parts to force the connector parts together when said force isapplied, such as by an operator applying his weight to one part of theconnector by putting his foot on it or pressing it with his hand orotherwise.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novelfeatures and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l is a plan view showing a distribution box assembly including thefeatures of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the distribution box assembly of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an end view showing the right-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 2,with parts broken away and in section; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing particularly the apparatusfor and method of attaching the plug part of an electrical connector toa receptacle part thereof.

As best seen in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the distribution boxillustrated includes a generally fiat bottom plate or frame II] which isadapted to sit on the mine floor, said plate l 2 having upstanding endpieces H which constitute carrying handles. Rigidly mounted upon thebottom plate or frame I!) is a flame-proof or permissible type switchenclosure or housing l2 which has a removable cover plate 13. Anexplosion-proof or permissible conductor housing or casing i4 is alsomounted on the plate l0. Within the enclosure or housing I 2 there arethree switches or circuit breakers of any standard design which areindicated by the dotted lines [5, l6 and I1. Each of the switches l5, l6and H has an operating mechanism by which it may be operated to its openor closed position, said mechanisms including rods I8, I9 and 20,respectively, which extend through a wall of the housing [2 inflame-proof relation therewith.

Leading to each of the three switches l5, l6 and I! there is anelectrical cable or conductor means including a connector, the threeconnectors being designated 2|, 22 and 23, respectively. Connectors 2|,22 and 23 are of essentially the same construction but diiferent insize. As a consequence, a description of connector 2! and associatedmechanism will apply for all of them.

The connector 2| is, per se, of standard construction and design andincludes a. plug 24 and receptacle or socket 25, the plug 24 havingprojecting blades or contact members 28 adapted to be received intelescoping frictional electrical contact with clips of the receptacleor socket 25. Socket 25 is, of course, connected to an electrical cableor conductor extending to the switch l5, and plug 24 is connected toelectrical cable or conductor extending to a source of power.

Receptacle or socket 25 is preferably rigidly attached to the base I!)by a clamp type abut ment 2'! which holds it in fixed position. Ofparticular significance is the fact that this abutment or clamp 21 holdsit against longitudinal movement. Spaced opposite the clamp or abutment2'! and in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the connector 2| is apair of laterally spaced abutments 28 which are rigidly attached to theframe or plate [0 and constitute cam means which cooperate with camsurfaced shoulders on the plug 24 to force the two parts of theconnector 2| together by the simple expedient of starting the blades 26into the slots of the receptacle or socket 25 and then exerting pressureon the top or flat face of the plug 24, forcing it downward or laterallyover said abutments 28 so that the cam surfaces of said plug and the twolaterally spaced abutments 28 force the plug 24 longitudinally andthereby force the two parts 24 and 25 of said connector together.

This has been found to be a very simple but efi'icient expedient forconnecting heavy electrical connectors which are very difiicult toconnect by hand. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, thepressure to effect the connecting of the two plug parts may be readilyprovided by an operator or person placing his foot or the heel of hisshoe on the upper flat face of the plug 24, forcing it downward againstthe cam means 28 which, of course, move it longitudinally forwardsimultaneously with its downward movement. The force applied by theoperator is substantially at right angles to the resulting forceproduced by the cooperating cam means 28 which forces the two parts 24and 25 together. Disconnection of the two parts of the'plug 24 is noparticular problem and may be effected by the operator pulling on theplug 24 or on its attaching cable.

Each of the connectors 2i, 22 and 23'is housed in an enclosure orhousing which is not necessarily explosion-proof but is primarily forthe purpose of preventing disconnection of the connector except when theassociated switch l5, It or I! is in its open circuit position. Exceptfor the size of the enclosing compartments for the connectors 24, 22 and23 they are of similar construction and thus only one of them need bedescribed in detail. Said enclosures for the connectors 2|, 22 and 23are designated 29, 3t! and 3|, respectively.

As clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, enclosure 29includes a cap 32 which is generally U-shaped and is closed at itsopposite ends by.integral end walls. The rear end wall has a U-shapedslot 33 providing for a cable leading to the connector 2i and allowingpivotal movement of said cap 32. .Along one edge the cap 32 is pivotedat 34 to the bottom plate it, said bottom plate Hi constituting thebottom wall of said enclosure 29.

The front wall of the cap 32 is provided with a U-shaped opening throughwhich the front of the receptacle 25 projects. Except for interlockingmechanism as hereinafter described, it is evident that the cap 32 isfree to pivot as from the full line position illustrated in Fig. 3 tothe dotted line position there illustrated, in the former of which itencloses the connector 2i and in the latter of which said connector isaccessible to provide for its disconnection and connection.

Interlocking mechanism is provided between the cap or cover 32 and theoperating rod l8 for the switch i5. Said operating rod i3 is providedwith a head 35. When the rod I3 is inthe switch open position, asillustrated in full lines in Fig. l of t .e drawings (Fig. 2 showsinfull lines the similar position of switch operating rod.

with its head also designated 35), the pivoted cover or cap 32 is freeto be swung. to its open position, whereupon the two parts 24 and of theconnector 25 may be disconnected or subsequently connected.

In this position the cap 32 so overlaps the head 35, as suggested by theshaded portion of Fig. 3, that it is impossible to move the lever l8 toits switch closing position. As a consequence the switch !5 can notclose until lid 32 is closed. When lid 32 is closed and rod 18 isoperated to its switch closing position, which is the dotted lineposition illustrated in Fig. 1 .(a similar position for a switchoperating rod 2e being shown in Fig. 2), it is impossible to swing thecover 32 to its open position. This interlock therefore preventsdisconnection of the connector 2! whenever the switch I 5 is closed andrequires opening of said switch 5 to permit disconnection of theconnector 2 I. Similar interlocking means is provided betweentheoperating levers I9 .and 20 of the switches I6 and I1. and-theenclosures 30, 3| of the connectors 22 and 23.

The only significant difference between the enclosures 3G and 3! on theone hand and the enclosure 29on the other is that due to the fact thatthe former are somewhat smaller there is a built up rib 36 on the top ofthe cap of each enclosure 33 and 3! which cooperates with a head 35 toprevent opening of said cap when operating rod I9, 21!, respectively, isin its switch closing position.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings there is also illustrated another largeconnector 3'! and another small connector 38 which are on the outputside of the housing 12. They need no specialdescription. It may bestated that no interlock is provided in connection with them due to thefact that they are on the output side of the distributor unit.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in thedetails and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, andapplicant therefore Wishes not to be restricted to the preciseconstruction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what itis desired to 58-. cure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, an'electrical connector including cooperating plugand socket parts adapted to be placed together by rectilinear movementof one part with respect to the other, each-of said parts having anelectrical conductor extending from one end thereof and one having a camsurface at each side of the electrical conductor, and means for aidingin placing said parts together and then supporting the said partsagainst rectilinear separating movement, said last' named meansincluding means forming a base, a clamp means on said base clamping theelectrical con-- ductor of one of said parts thereby mounting the saidpart to said base, and two abutment means onsaid base spaced'from saidclamp means adapted to straddle the electrical conductor of the other ofsaid connector parts, said abutments having cam means thereon adapted tocooperate with the cam means on said other connector part to force saidconnector parts together when said connector member is moved in adirection transverse to the directionin which said connector parts aremoved to place them together.

2. In combination, an electrical'connectorincluding cooperating plug andsocket parts adapted to be placed together by rectilinear movement ofone part with respect to the other; each of said parts having anelectrical conductor extending therefrom and one having a cam surface,and means for aiding in placing said parts to-' gether and thensupporting the said parts against rectilinear separating movement, saidlast named means including means forming a base, a clamp means on saidbasemounting one of said conductor parts thereto, and an abutment.meanson saidbase spaced from said clamp means, said abutment having cammeansthereon adapted to cooperate with the cam means on the otherconnector part to force said connector parts to-. gether, when saidconnector member is moved in 'a direction transverse to the direction inwhich said connector parts are moved to place them together.

3. In combination, an electrical connector including cooperating plugand socket parts adapted to be placed together by rectilinear movementof one part with respect to the other, each of said parts having anelectrical conductor extending therefrom and one having a cam surface,and means for aiding in placing said parts together, said last namedmeans including means forming a base, means on said base removablymounting one of said conductor parts thereto, and an abutment means onsaid base spaced from said means, said abutment having cam means thereonadapted to cooperate with the cam means on the other connector part toforce said connector parts together when said connector member is movedin a direction transverse to the direction in which said connector partsare moved to place them together.

4. An electrical connector attaching device including a base, spacedaligned abutments carried thereby adapted to hold the two parts of aplug and socket electrical connector against relative longitudinalseparating movement when said electrical connector is positioned betweensaid spaced aligned abutments, one of said abutments having cam meansthereon adapted to force the connector parts together when a cooperatingcam surface of one of said connector parts is forced laterally over saidcam means and produces longitudinal movement of said one connector part.

5. An electrical connector attaching device including a base, spacedaligned abutments carried thereby adapted to hold the two parts of a.plug and socket electrical connector against relative longitudinalseparating movement when said electrical connector is positioned betweensaid spaced aligned abutments, one of said abutments having cam meansthereon adapted to force the connector parts together when a cooperatingcam surface of one of said connector parts is forced laterally over saidcam means and thereby moved longitudinally, the other of said abutmentsconstituting a rigid anchor for attaching the other of said connectorparts to said base.

6. An electrical connector attaching device including a base, spacedaligned abutments carried thereby adapted to hold the two parts of aplug and socket electrical connector against relative longitudinalseparating movement when said electrical connector is positioned betweensaid spaced aligned abutments, one of said abutments having cam meansthereon adapted to force the connector parts together when a cooperatingcam surface of said plug part is forced laterally over said cam meansand thereby moved longitudinally, the other of said abutmentsconstituting an anchor for the socket of said connector.

WALTER J. BAUROTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 654,310 Hundhausen July 24, 1900995,681 Kanagy June 20, 1911 1,026,269 Knauf May 14, 1912 2,068,399 Dashet al Jan. 19, 1937 2,104,190 Dettar Jan. 4, 1938 2,424,812 GallaherJuly 29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 687,866 Germany Feb.'7, 1940

